The Importance of Kaya-samphassaja-vedana
in Vipassana Meditation
Vipassana Research Institute
The Buddha talked about different types of vedana (sensations). In paticcasamuppada
he taught-
Salayatana-paccaya phasso, phassa-paccaya vedana.1
Dependent on the six sense organs, there is contact; dependent on contact, there
is sensation.
He explained the six types of sensations depending on sense contact as-2
1. Cakkhu-samphassaja vedana-cakkhu-samphassaja vedanasensation arising out of
eye-contact.
2. Sota-samphassaja vedanasota-samphassaja vedana-sensation arising out of ear-contact.
3. Ghana-samphassaja vedanaghana-samphassaja vedana-sensation arising out of nose-contact.
4. Jivha-samphassaja vedanajivha-samphassaja vedana-sensation arising out of tongue-contact.
5. Kaya-samphassaja vedanakaya-samphassaja vedana-sensation arising out of body-contact.
6. Mano-samphassaja vedanamano-samphassaja vedana-sensation arising out of mind-contact.sensation
arising out of contact.
Of these six types of vedana, this Vipassana tradition gives foremost importance
to kaya-samphassaja vedana. The importance of kayika vedana (body sensations)
is explained in numerous suttas in the Pali texts-Pathamakasa Suttapathamakasa
sutta3, Agara Suttaagara sutta,4 etc. In the Abhidhamma text Patthana, it is stated
that by means of vedana, phala-samapatti,5 nibbana (liberation), is attained.
There are several reasons for this. First, the Buddha emphasised continuity of
practice in Vipassana sampajannam na rincatisampajannam na rincati6-(not missing
sampajanna even for a moment), and in order to maintain this continuity we need
an object which is with us continuously. The contact of the eye with form and
the arising of cakkhu-samphassaja vedana is not continuous, nor are sota-samphassaja
vedana, ghana-samphassaja vedana, jivha-samphassaja vedana, and mano-samphassaja
vedana. But kaya-samphassaja vedana is ever present, day and night, throughout
life. Vedana arises with contact and the contact of mind and body is always taking
place, as is the mutual contact of the subatomic particles within the body. This
constant contact of kaya-samphassaja vedana serves as an effective tool for maintaining
continuity of awareness and has, therefore, been given prime importance in the
Vipassana tradition. Secondly, a beginner in Vipassana meditation will easily
be able to comprehend and experience the kaya-samphassaja vedana compared to the
other five since it is more tangible and has a more extended field for observation.
Thirdly, whether it is cakkhu-samphassaja vedana or sota-samphassaja vedana or
ghana-samphassaja vedana or jivha-samphassaja vedana or mano-samphassaja vedana,
they are all based on the body. Even though we only strike a particular point
on a gong, the sound resonates throughout the gong; similarly, even though a person
experiences cakkhu-samphassaja vedana due to contact at the eye door, it will
spread and be felt in the whole body. In the same way, sota-samphassaja vedana,
ghana-samphassaja vedana, jivha-samphassaja vedana, and mano-samphassaja vedana,
are all experienced throughout the body, since they all are based on the body
(kaya), including the last one, for which the base is the hadaya vatthu (mind
base), a part of the body.
It is evident from the above that we cannot ignore bodily sensation if we wish
to observe ourselves in totality. It is for this reason that a fully enlightened
person like Gotama the Buddha was unable to teach the Dhamma (Vipassana) to his
former teachers Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta from whom he learnt the seventh
and eighth jhana, and who had taken birth in the arupabrahma-loka (formless worldsformless
worlds). For a person like the Buddha, access to these worlds was not impossible,
nor was it impossible to communicate the teaching mentally to beings of these
planes of existence. However, the fact that these beings in the arupabrahma-loka
do not experience bodily sensation prevented the Buddha from teaching the Dhamma
to them.
We as human beings are composed of nama (mind) and rupa (matter) and in order
to attain nibbana (liberation), which is a state beyond nama and rupa, we have
to work with both. If we work only with mental feeling and ignore bodily sensation,
then we will know only the sphere of mind, and the sphere of rupa will be left
unexplored. But when we work with the bodily sensation, then we are also definitely
exploring the field of the body and with it the sphere of the mind will also be
explored, since vedana is felt by the mind. Thus kaya-samphassaja vedana is essential
for the exploration of the totality of mind and matter (parinna), and thus also
essential for liberation.
Notes: (All references VRI edition)
1. Mahavagga (Vinaya Pitaka) 1
2. Samyutta Nikaya 2.4.270
3. Ibid. 2.4.260
4. Ibid. 2.4.262
5. Patthana 1.1.423
6. Samyutta Nikaya 2.4.251